Tall sewer escape tale dismissed by Bangkok police on Saturday. Man’s delusionary story came after a dramatic rescue in the capital. Police, while sceptical of the man’s claims, point to a clean criminal record. An investigation is underway into the incident.
Bangkok police have dismissed outright bizarre claims made by a confused man on Saturday. At length, Yosakorn Jannamsai from Chaiyaphum claims he had been harried into the city sewerage system. In short, he said he feared capture by a drug dealing gang. It came following the dramatic rescue of the 44-year-old man from a sewer drain in the Ratchathewi area of the city on Saturday afternoon. Amidst a heavy rain downpour, the man cried out for help with water up to his chest. A nearby motorcyclist raised the alarm, leading to Mr Yosakorn being lifted to safety. In a semi-conscious state and clearly showing signs of exhaustion, he was taken to Petcharavej Hospital. Meanwhile, police at Phayathai Police Station are investigating the incident. They will interview the man later in hospital.
Police at Bang Pho Police Station have dismissed startling claims made by a disorientated 44-year-old Thai man who was rescued from a sewer in the capital on Saturday afternoon.
Bang Pho Police Station deputy superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel Manun Homla-or said bizarre claims made by the man were impossible.
At length, 44-year-old Yosakorn Jannamsai from Chaiyaphum told his story as he was taken to Petcharavej Hospital for medical attention. The man was reportedly found under a sewer in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok just before 1:47 p.m. on Saturday.
Exhausted man’s ramblings not being taken seriously by police who are, however, seeking to understand how he came to be in the sewerage system and why
He claimed to have been trapped in the sewer system for 3 to 4 days. In short, he appeared emaciated with blotchy skin and exhausted.
Nevertheless, he bizarrely claims to have entered the sewer system after taking flight from pursuing armed men. In particular, he said the incident occurred in the Bang Pho district of the city.
Mr Yosakorn said he had disturbed a delivery of methamphetamine pills in the vicinity of a nearby temple. In turn, he attracted the attention of those involved.
Subsequently, he says he was pursued and caught by the gang. He claimed he was forced to consume four to five methamphetamine pills.
Cops probe the death of an elderly man with Alzheimer’s whose body was found on Thursday in Bangkok
However, he then claimed to have escaped and taken refuge in the sewer system.
The distraught man suggested the sewer entrance was near a railway track. He claimed his pursuers had afterwards closed up the sewer entrance. Therefore, he was unable to get back out.
Local police station boss dismissed the claims made by the clearly hallucinating man as impossible. Furthermore, he could not survive 3-4 days in the sewer
On Saturday, Police Lieutenant Colonel Manun told reporters that there was indeed a temple in the Bang Pho area.
However, he noted that the district did not have an acute drug problem. In addition, there were no railway tracks in the district.
Certainly, the senior officer noted that if Mr Yosakorn had been trapped in the sewer system for over 24 hours, he would be dead. The officer suggested that the water regularly rose to a very high level.
Similarly, on Saturday, it was an outburst of rain that had led to Mr Yosakorn crying out for help.
The rescue of the 44-year-old happened on Soi Phetchaburi 2 in the Thanon Phetchaburi Subdistrict.
An outbreak of rain had caused a motorbike rider identified as ‘Uncle Noon’ to stop near the sewer outlet.
After that, he was changing into waterproof clothing when he heard the shouting from below him and discovered a man stuck there.
Rescued man first seen with water up to his chest as a heavy downpour continued. Elderly motorcyclist rushed to summon police help and emergency services
The younger man was struggling in water which was already up to his chest.
Consequently, the elderly motorcyclist rushed to a police station at the Uruphong intersection.
In turn, the alarm was raised through the Amarin radio centre. This involved rescue volunteers with the Poh Teck Foundation who shortly arrived on the scene. Phayathai Fire Station also deployed resources. Despite numerous attempts to open the sewer grill cover, they were unsuccessful.
In the meantime, the downpour of rain stopped and the water receded.
Rescuers asked the man to walk towards another exit about 10 metres away which they were eventually able to open.
Police at Phayathai Police Station are looking for answers in the case. They revealed the 44-year-old has a clean criminal record. He will be questioned
A briefing after the rescue was given by Police Lieutenant Colonel Chotpisit Narongsak, deputy chief of the Phayathai Police Station.
He confirmed that Mr Yosakorn had a clean record with no criminal history. In addition, he worked as a security guard.
However, police were sceptical about his story. In short, he was incoherent with rescuers. For instance, while speaking with them, he insisted he knew but subsequently claimed he did not know things. In effect, he was very confused and appeared somewhat paranoid to observers.
The man claimed to have been walking and stumbling within the system for up to 4 days. He told police that only the rising water in the sewer had prompted him to ask for help.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Chotpisit said that Mr Yosakorn would be interviewed later in hospital.
Moreover, police would be asking for blood tests to see if the man had consumed narcotics.
At the same time, they would be liaising with other police stations including Nang Loeng Police Station which also has access to the same sewer system.
Especially to see if there were any crimes or significant disturbances reported over the previous 96 hours.
It follows the death of a 59-year-old man on May 3rd
Initially, when found, the man was wearing a red T-shirt and jeans. This was later removed as paramedics attended to him before transporting him to the hospital.
Bangkok’s sewer system and infrastructure have been in the news over the last week.
It followed the tragic death of a 59-year-old man who fell into a 14-metre tube well on Friday, May 3rd last. The incident occurred in the Lat Phrao area of the city.
The tube well was in use by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) in Bangkok for underground cabling. Afterwards, it emerged that the electricity generation authority had been using wooden manhole covers after a pattern of thefts of the concrete lids.
The authorities later apologised to the family of Mr Kamthorn Jaruanan who threatened to sue for ฿10 million in damages.
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